Covering for filter cartridge



Dec. 5, 1967 R RULE ETAL COVERING FOR FILTER CARTRIDGE Filed Sept. 17, 1965 O 9 2 I aoooonaooocooouao ooooooouoooaoe o no 0 0&50069090009000UGGDDOOOHO 0D 0 XIII I I I a I I I 0 v I o IIIVIIII. i IVN OI III 0 III 0 I g o 7 2 M '1 a u o a o a a a o 0 0O 00 7 I m 0 000000000 oqonouaooo FIGURE FIGURE FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4' mvgmoRs.

ATTORNEY.

Richard A. Rule and Jul/us E. Rule United States Patent M 3,356,227 COVERING FOR FILTER CARTRIDGE Richard A. Rule, W. 3723 I-Ieroy, and Julius E. Rule,

N. 3912 Calispel, both of Spokane, Wash. 99205 Filed Sept. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 488,103 3 Claims. (Cl. 210484) This invention relates generally to filter cartridges and more particularly to a cloth covering for a toilet paper type filter cartridge.

Heretofore in the filtering of oil, particularly in pressurized systems of motor vehicles, a filter cartridge comprising a roll of ordinary paper toilet tissue has come into common use. The general construction of filter systems embodying this cartridge requires the toilet tissue to fit within a filter container, normally tapered to provide a snug fit between the cartridge and container, and to pass oil, under some pressure, through the multilayers of rolled tissue. This cartridge has heretofore become well known.

In the known cartridge, the toilet paper used has heretofore been uncovered and because of this several problems have arisen. Firstly, some ancillary apparatus for removal of the cartridge from the filter case must be provided, as the tight fit between the two members, particularly after swelling from contained oil, after use, makes removal of the cartridge extremely difficult. Secondly, there is a tendency of small pieces of the toilet paper cartridge to slutf 01f with use or become disengaged'frorn the unitary mass and displaced during subsequent operation to be disseminated through the oil system. Thirdly, in some cartridges oftentimes ties of string, or some other similar material, are provided about the filter cartridge; where these ties pass over the surface, they tend to form a channel therein and create a channel which allows oil to pass therethrough in an unfiltered state.

With this background in mind, the instant invention seeks to provide solutions to the cited problems and in so doing, it is:

A principal object of our invention to provide a tubular fabric covering for a toilet paper filter cartridge that conceals and covers the cartridge, holds it together, and prevents parts disengaged therefrom from entering the oil system.

A further object of our invention is to provide a cartridge covering of the nature aforesaid that provides means of removing an expended cartridge from a tapered or tight fitting cartridge case.

A still further objectof our invention is to provide a cloth covering of the nature aforesaid that provides additional filter activity for the toilet paper filter and prevents any physical distortion of the filter cartridge that would allow formation of channels in the filter surface permitting oil to pass therethrough in an unfiltered condition.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a covering of the nature aforesaid that firms the toilet paper filter cartridge, keeps it from unrolling, and makes it easier to insert within an appropriate cartridge container.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a new and novel device of the nature aforesaid, of simple and economic construction, and rugged and durable nature.

Other and further objects of our invention will appear form a consideration of the following specification, claims and appended drawings which form a part of this application.

In the drawings, wherein like numbers reference refer to similar parts throughout:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric surface view of a toilet paper filter cartridge encased with the covering of our invention.

16 of the tubular fabric 11 3,356,227 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 FIGURE 2 is an orthographic, vertical, cross-sectional view of the invention of FIGURE 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereon, in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is an orthographic view of the bottom of the invention of FIGURE 1, partially cutaway to show the various details of the construction thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a semi-diagramatic illustration of our invention partially assembled to show the means of assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail and particularly to those of FIGURES 1 and 2, it will there be seen that our invention comprises essentially toilet paper filter cartridge 10, covered with tubular fabric 11, held in place at the bottom of the cartridge by bottom ring 12 and sealed at the top by grommet 13.

The toilet paper filter cartridge 10 is one of the smaller type cylindrical rolls of toilet pape of ordinary commerce and need not be in any special way re-designed for use as a filter cartridge. It comprises tubular, cylindrical arbor 14 having elongate strip of fiberous toilet tissue 15 firmly but not tightly rolled thereon to form the complete cylindrical structure with the central axially aligned passage defined by the arbor. The external dimensions of toilet paper roll 10 may have to be regulated slightly to provide an appropriate fit of the ordinary commercial roll into a particular cartridge container (not shown); if any adjacent be needed, it will in general entail the removal of a few of the outer layers of paper. Filter cartridge containers are, however, of standardized sizes and this adjustment, if necessary, may be factory made before assembly of the completed filter cartridge.

Covering fabric 11 is an appropriately sized section of an elongated fabric tubing, as shown best in FIGURE 4. This fabric is preferably of a chain knit cotton variety designed to have some degree of elasticity by reason of the nature of its components and the method of their formation. Such fabric is readily commercially available and well known in the fabric art. The unstretched diameter of tube 11 should be such that it is somewhat smaller than the external diameter of the roll of toilet paper so that it, the fabric, will be stretched when the toilet paper is inserted therein and thereby forms a snug, frictional fit thereover.

This fabric member 11 is positioned on the toilet paper roll 10, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4. The roll of toilet paper 10 is inserted into the inner upper portion ith the top of the fabric slightly below top 17 of the toilet paper. Bottom ring 12 is then placed over the now lower outer end 18 of the fabric, as illustrated in FIGURE 4, and moved to a position immediately below the bottom 19 of the toilet paper roll. The lower end 18 of fabric tube 11 is then brought back, inside out, over bottom ring 12 and completely over the roll of toilet paper It} with its now uppermost part 27 projecting beyond the top of toilet paper roll 10. The upper part 27 of tubular fabric 11 is then brought together about grommet 13 and fastened together thereby. Any surplus or salvage projecting beyond grommet 13 may be trimmed, as desired. The inner upper portion 16 of fabric 11 will be held in position against toilet paper roll It) by reason of its frictional engagement therewith, and this friction will be increased by the additional elasticity of second layer 20 positioned thereover. It has been found not necessary to otherwise attach upper part 16 of the fabric to the outer surface of the toilet paper roll. It is further to be noted that any lengthwise force in tube 11 will only tend to increase this frictional force.

Bottom ring 12 is a washer or similar annulus, preferably of a fiber-type material impervious to the action of oil. This ring may be replaced with one of appropriate rubber or similar elastic material, if desired. If an elastic material be used, it maintains somewhat more tension about annular opening 26 in the bottom of the fabric covering and would permit the covering to be completely assembled away from the toilet paper cartridge and placed thereon after assembly, if the ring has suificient elasticity to pass over the outside of the toilet paper roll. Obviously, however, such a ring must be impervious to the action of hot oil and this characteristic eliminates natural rubber and many other elastic compounds, though neoprene materials will serve this purpose.

The grommet 13 is of the ordinary variety of commerce, as illustrated particularly in the cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2. It comprises bottom member 21 having outwardly extending fastening flange 22 structurally communicating with upwardly extending tubular fastening member 23. Upper washer-like fastening member 24 of the grommet has a central hole adapted to fit over the tubular fastening part 23 of bottom member 21 and preferably has inwardly extending peripheral flange 25 adapted to provide a good fit relative to the fabric member in which it is positioned. The uppermost portion of the fastening member 23 is flared over in the normal fashion, as illustrated, and well known in the art, to form the grommet to it's fastening state. It is to be noted that if it be desired not to trim the upper salvage 27 of tubular fabric 11, the grommet may be positioned oppositely to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, and in this state, the salvage would be projecting inwardly and not visible from outside the covering to require trimming. This struc' ture is not particularly preferred however, because of the greater difiiculty of access in initially placing the grommet 13.

If one thickness of fabric covering over toilet paper roll it) be sufficient, the bottom of the fabric covering could be fastened with a grommet similar to that of FIGURE 2 used to fasten the top. In fact, a closed end fabric tube could be used to provide a complete cover ing over the bottom of the toilet paper roll, without any fastening device, if the central hole be not necessary to the functioning of the cartridge, as it is not in particular structures. Also, if desired, both ends of the covering tube can be fastened in the top grommet by bringing the inner end part upward further than illustrated.

In use, oil is passed normally with some pressure, through central channel defined within arbor 14 of the roll of toilet paper tissue 10, and this oil, enclosed within an approXiate chamber, is forced from the top downwardly through the various layers of toilet tissue until it is removed from the cartridge at the bottom. It is to be noted from the structure recited that oil following this course must pass through some part of the filter cartridge so long as the cartridge is tightly contained within a peripheral case.

While the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character so that a specific embodiment of our invention might be clearly set forth as required by law, it is to be understood that various rearrangements of parts, multiplications thereof and modifications of detail may be made in connection with our invention without departing from its spirit, essence or scope.

Having thusly described our invention, what we desire to protect by Letters Patent and What we claim is:

1. In an elongated annular filter cartridge, a covering, comprising, in combination:

an elongate, open ended, tubular fabric member positionable over said elongated annular filter with the inner upper end slightly below the top of said filter, said tubing member extending thence downwardly over the lower side portion and bottom portion of said filter to an annular ring, thence through said annular ring and back thereover and upwardly over said filter to the top thereof,

and a grommet fastening the uppermost portion of said tubing together to form a covering over said filter with circular holes in said covering within said bottom ring and said grommet.

2. As an article of manufacture, a filter cartridge as defined in claim 1 wherein the annular filter is a roll of toilet paper.

3. A covered toilet paper filter cartridge, comprising, in combination:

a cylindrical roll of toilet paper including an elongate strip of permeable paper wound upon a cylindrical arbor defining a central cylindrical void, covered by an elongate open ended tubular fabric member requiring elastic extension to pass over said roll of toilet paper, positioned over said roll of toilet paper with the inner upper end slightly below the top of said roll, said tubing member thence extending downwardly over said roll, through an annular bottom ring, thence back thereover and upwardly over said roll of toilet paper, and

a grommet having an internal void fastening the upper edge of said tubular fabric member together to form a covering over said toilet paper roll with top and bottom holes therein substantially co-extensive with the end parts of the cylindrical void of said arbor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1943 Winslow et al. 210-457 2/1956 Fresch 210-494 X 

3. A COVERED TOILET PAPER FILTER CARTRIDGE, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A CYLINDRICAL ROLL OF TOILET PAPER INCLUDING AN ELONGATE STRIP OF PERMEABLE PAPER WOUND UPON A CYLINDRICAL ARBOR DEFINING A CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL VOID, COVERED BY AN ELONGATE OPEN ENDED TUBULAR FABRIC REQUIRING ELASTIC EXTENSION TO PASS OVER SAID ROLL OF TOILET PAPER, POSITIONED OVER SAID ROLL OF TOILET PAPER WITH THE INNER UPPER END SLIGHTLY BELOW THE TOP OF SAID ROLL, SAID TUBING MEMBER THENCE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY OVER SAID ROLL, THROUGH AN ANNULAR BOTTOM RING, THENCE BACK THEREOVER AND UPWARDLY OVER SAID ROLL OF TOILET PAPER, AND A GROMMET HAVING AN INTERNAL VOID FASTENING THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID TUBULAR FABRIC MEMBER TOGETHER TO FORM A COVERING OVER SAID TOILET PAPER ROLL WITH TOP AND BOTTOM HOLES THEREIN SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE END PARTS OF THE CYLINDRICAL VOID OF SAID ARBOR. 